The Electoral Commission (EC) has expressed concern about a concerning trend in its limited registration exercise, where minors and non-citizens are exploiting the guarantor system.

Dr. Bossman Asare, a Deputy Chairperson of the EC, revealed that they have been observing instances of minors and ineligible individuals registering, often with the assistance of certain political party members.

He shared these observations during a press briefing on Thursday while providing an update on the ongoing registration process.

Dr. Asare emphasized, “We have noticed that minors and foreigners have taken advantage of the guarantor system … this must stop.”

He also called on political parties, as key stakeholders, to collaborate with the EC in ensuring the credibility of voter registers, as they stand to benefit significantly from accurate registration.

Furthermore, Dr. Asare issued a stern warning to political parties, urging them to cease the practice of transporting minors to registration centers for participation.

He also advised parents to prevent their underage children from attempting to register, cautioning them that falsifying their age for voter registration could lead to legal consequences.

Dr. Asare called upon the government to expedite the allocation of resources to the National Identification Authority (NIA) to ensure the availability of Ghana cards. Once the EC receives parliamentary approval for its new Constitutional Instrument, C.I., the Ghana Card will become the sole document for registering new voters.

Dr. Asare also encouraged the media and civil society organizations to support the Commission in the passage of the proposed Constitutional Instrument that aims to make the Ghana Card the exclusive identification material for voter registration.